Thermostatically controlled receding fireproof safe



B. F. CISOR June 14, 1932.

THERMOSTATICALLY CONTROLLED RECEDING FIREPROOF SAFE Filed Feb. l5. 1951l Illllllllll. l i

Patented .ame i4, resa nniTan sTaTas BENJAMIN F. CISOR, OF LOS ANGELES,CALIFORNIAk v rnnnmosrarieannz conrnonnnn nncnnrner Finnrnoor SAFEApplication led February 13, 1931.

My invention relates to lireproof safes, es pecially intended for safesof the smaller type7 such as used in residences, service stations, andthe like, for the safe keeping of currency and other valubles.

It is an object of this invention to construct a safe of the smallertype so as to render it ireproof, not by the provision of ireproof wallsin the safe itself which, on account of the small size, would beimpractical, but by causing the safe to be withdrawn or retracted into arecess, which recess is provided with fireproof walls so thatprotectionagainst the destruction of the contents of the safe will be afforded. Athermostatically controlled means, such as a fusible element, isprovided, which causes the safe to drop by gravity into a iireproof wellor permits the action of a spring or the like to move the safe into afireproof recess.

TvVith the above and other objects in view, which will appear as thedescription proceeds, my invention consists in the construction andarrangement .of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing, which forms a part of this specification, Ihave illustrated a preferred embodimentV of my invention, and v in whichFig. 1 is a vertical central cross section of a floor safe provided withmy improvements;

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the lid for closing the top of the safe;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the safe with the lid removed;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view in vertical cross section showing thearrangement of the fusible plug holding the safe normally in position;

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 11;

F ig. 6 is an enlarged detail view in cross section showing the fusibleplug in position in the link;

Fig. 7 is a vertical central cross section of a wall safe which isretracted horizontally by means of a coiled spring on the failure of thefusible plug.

The floor safe` 1 may be of any preferred construction. In `the presentinstance it is Serial No. 515,466.

shown circular in cross section. The same is disposed in a concretecylinder 2 provided with a concrete bottom 3. The lower end of theconcrete cylinder is disposed in the ground Gr as shown. A metal liningl, preferably of sheet steel, is provided for the inside wall and bottomof the concrete cylinder. A U-shaped metal member 5 anchored in theconcrete bottom 3 has fastened thereto a metal chain 6, the upper endVof which is connected to a swivel member 7, passing through the bottomof the safe 1 and detachably secured thereto by means of a nut 7. Theupper end of the concrete cylinder 2 is provided with a lid 8 removablyseated on a shoulder 2 of the concrete cylinder 2. The upper end of thefloor safe 1 is provided with an inwardly extending flange 9 providedwith four slots 10 spaced equidistantly apart.

The safe cover or door 11 is provided on its under side with a pair ofcross arms 12 and 13 spaced and securely fastened to the lid 11 by meansof a center pin 14 and pins 15, which latter pins 15, being spaced fromthe ends of the cross arms 12 and 13, provide lugs 16 at the ends of thecross arms. 17 is a latch lock disposedl on the under side of the lid 11an between the two adjacent lugs 16.

In locking the door 11 on to the safe 1 the door 11 is placed so thatthe lugs 16 will register with the slots 10 of the flange 9 Vand thedoor 11 is given a rotary motion soas to cause the lugs 16 to passunderneath the flange 9 and until the latch lock 17 snaps into place'into one of the recesses 10'of the flange 9. A handle 18 on the top ofthe door 11is provided forthe manipulation of the lid 11, which handle18 is preferably olf .center so that in moving the door may be tilted tofacilitate its removal.` V y Y,

The particular construction of the lid and the locking mechanism justdescribed is, however, not essential to the present invention whichrelates primarily to the means of causing the floor safe to be retractedto the bottom of the concrete cylinder 2. For this purpose a link 19 issecured by rivets 20 *or the like to the side wall of the floor safe 1.Said link is bent outwardly and is provided at its A upper end with aslot 19', which is circular in shape except for its restricted upperthroat 192. A. circular plug 2l snugly fits the circular recess 19 andis provided with a bore 2l for the reception of a fastening member, suchas a screw 22, passing through the steel lining 4 and anchored in theconcrete cylinder 2.

In case of fire the heat will melt the fusible plug 2l so that the bolt22, whose diameter is less than the width of the throat 192, can passthrough said throat freely. rThere being nothing to support the floorsafe, the latter will fall by the action of gravity to the bottom of thewell within the ground G and thus being sufficiently distant from theintense heat of the fire the contents of the safe will be protected fromdestruction.

It should be noted that provision of the chain 6 prevents anyunauthorized removal. of the floor safe. If it is desired to removethefloor safe from its position it will be necessary to remove the nut 7from the swivel element 7.

In Fig. 7 I have illustrated a inodilied embodiment of my inventionapplied to a wall safe in which the safe 23 is disposed horizontally inarconcrete lined chamber 24. The construction of the lid and the fusiblelink 26 may be the same as illustrated and described in connectionwiththe modification shown in Fig. 1. The lower side of the safe 23 ispreferably provided with anti-friction rollers 27. The swivel joint 28is connected to a flexible member 29 attached to a coiled steel spring8O which is secured in a recess 3l in the concrete `chamber 24. On thefailure of the fusible link 26 the coiled spring 8() will pull thewallsafe 23 toward the inner end ofthe concrete chamber 2l and thus protectitagainst fire.V

It will be noted thatin both modifications of the invention there is anelongated chamber, (2 in Fig. l, 24 in Fig. 7,) at the open end of whichthe safe is held in `position an d associated with a fusible member. Onthe failure of the fusible member the safe is caused to be retractedinto the inner closed end, by gravity in the embodiment shown in Fig. l,and by means of the coil spring 30 in the embodiment shown in Fig. 7.

The safe whether falling by gravity to the closediend of the chamber, asshown in Figure l, or drawn to the inner end by means of a cable andunder the action of a spring 30, as shown in Figure 7, is in both formsof the invention under stress to move to the closed end of the chamberon the failure of the fusible link and the expression the safe is understress to move to the clos-ed end of the chamber inthe claims isintended to cover both forms.

Various changes may be made in the construction vand arrangement ofparts by those skilled .in the art without departing from the spirit ofmy invention as claimed.

I claim:

l. The combination of a. safe having a lock controlled door, ireproofwalls forming a vertical elongated chamber in the upper part of whichsaid safe is disposed and providing a recess below said safe, meansincluding a fusible member for holding said safe in position andattached to the fireproof Walls whereby on the failure of the fusiblemember the safe will fall by the action of gravity to the bottom of saidrecess.

2. The combination of a. safe having a lock controlled door, fireproofwalls forming a vertical elongated chamber in the upper part of whichsaid safe is disposed and providing a recess below said safe, meansattached to said walls for preventing the removal of the safe, and meansincluding a fusible member for holding said safe in position andattached to the fireproof walls whereby on the failure of the fusiblemember the safe will fall by the action of gravity to the bottom of saidrecess. y

3. The combination of a'safe having a lock controlled door, fireproofwalls forming a chamber provided with an elongated recess in the rear ofsaid safe, a flexible member attached to the safe and to the ireproofwalls to prevent the removal ofthe safe, means for holding the safe inposition and attached to 1 the walls, said means including a metal linkfastened to the safe and provided with a circular slot, a fusible plugin said slot a fastening member passing through said slot and secured tosaid walls, said link being provided with a relatively smaller slotcommunicating with the circular slot and of a size permitting thefastening member to pass therethrough whereby on the failure of thefusible plug the safe will fall by thev action of gravity to the bottomof the recess.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

B. F. CISOR.

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